Potato stamping machine



Filed Dec. 28, 1965 G. W. MALLERY POTATO STAMPING MACHINE s Shets-Sheet1 2o 50 F/G 7 4o 22 55 34 1 fi L 74 /-l\ 11' I NVEN TOR. GLEN W MALLERYBY MALLINCKRODT 8: MALLINCKRODT ATTORNEYS 3 $heets-Sheet i J 5 o w? E? oa I;

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G. W. MALLERY POTATO STAMPING MACHINE June 20, 1967 Filed Dec.

GLEN VVYKfiELERY BY MALLINCKRODT G MALLINCKRODT ATTORNEYS June 20, 1967w, MALLERY 3,326,121

POTATO STAMP ING MACHI NE Filed Dec. 28, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/ G I 6INVENTOR.

GLEN W. MALLERY BY MALLINCKRODT a MALLINCKRODT AT TORNEYS United StatesPatent 3,326,121 POT ATO STAMPING MACHINE Glen W. Mallery, AmericanFalls, Idaho, assignor to Robert C. Weaver, Declo, Idaho Filed Dec. 28,1965, Ser. No. 516,987 4 Claims. (Cl. 101-35) This invention relates tomachines for stamping an identifying mark on the skins of regular orirregular shaped vegetables, and fruits, and is particularly concernedwith such machines used to mark potatoes.

In the past there have been many attempts made to mark potatoes so thatconsumers will be able to identify them as being produced in a certaingeographical area, or by a particular grower, etc. These attempts havegenerally been directed toward stamping the potato with special inks,but, while being somewhat successful, they have not overcome all of theproblems encountered. Ink applied to a potato is easily rubbed oilduring handling and will not withstand the thorough scrubbing usuallygiven the potato before it is baked, or otherwise prepared forconsumption with the skin intact. Thus, the ultimate consumer (acustomer in a restaurant, for example) may not be assured of the qualityof the potato he receives, even though he desires and specifies aparticular potato.

Ink stamps cannot be used to mark wet potatoes and since they areusually washed shortly after being taken from the field, potatoesgenerally cannot be marked with an ink stamp until they have beenallowed to dry naturally or until they have passed through a dryingmachine. In either case, there is an unnecessary time and expenseinvolved. The inks used in such operations must be specially formulatedso as not to contaminate the potato, and if a stamping head fails tocontact the potato it is re-inked and a double charge of ink smears onthe next potato to be contacted.

Principal objects of the present invention are to mark potatoes, whetherthey are wet or dry, clearly and distinotly and in such a manner thatthe mark will not wash off during normal scrubbings, or be wiped or wornoff during normal handling.

Outstanding features of my invention include closely spaced, small,heated stamping heads that effectively brand potatoes of widely varyingsizes. A spring biased con tinuous chain pressure applier guides thepotatoes and insures that they are lightly pressed into contact with thestamping heads. A circulating coolant maintains the components of thehub on which the heads are mounted, except for the heads themselves,cooled, so that only the portion of the potato contacted by the stamp issubjected to heat application. The light pressure applied during thebranding results in only the skin being scored and the intense heatapplied efiectively cauterizes the vegetable to prevent spoilagestarting at the brand.

Although here disclosed as being particularly useful in markingpotatoes, it has been found that other fruits and vegetables can besimilarly marked. For example, oranges, lemons, and onions all have beensuccessfully branded.

There is shown in the accompanying drawings a specific embodiment of theinvention representing what is presently regarded as the best mode ofcarrying out the generic concepts in actual practice. From the detaileddescription of this presently preferred form of the invention, othermore specific objects and features will become apparent.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the potato stamping machine of theinvention;

FIG. 2, an elevation view of one side of the machine;

3,325,121 Patented June 20, 1967 taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2 andshowing the hub arrangement;

FIG. 5, an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6, a vertical section through the hub, taken on the line 6-6 ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 7, a still further enlarged, fragmentary vertical section taken onthe line 7-7 of FIGS. 4 and 6;

FIG. 8, an enlarged, and exploded view, in perspective, of the hub shaftand electrical slip rings; and

FIG. 9, an enlarged perspective view of a stamping head.

Referring now to the drawings:

In the illustrated preferred embodiment the potato stamping machine ofthe invention, shown generally at 20, includes a frame that supports arotatable stamping hub 21, a special feed belt 22, the drive motor 23for the hub and the belt, and pressure applicator chains 24, that holdpotatoes firmly against the hub during stamping operations.

The frame includes corner legs 25, 26, 27, and 28, rigidlyinterconnected by lower side members 29, upper side members 30, and endmembers 31.

The special endless feed belt 22, at one of its ends, passes aroundsprockets 32 mounted on a shaft 33 that is journaled in bearings 34within blocks 35 carried by the upper side members 30. The other end ofbelt 22 passes around sprockets 36 that are mounted on a shaft 37,journaled within bearings 38 in posts 39 that interconnect the lower andupper side members 29 and 31 and form part of the frame of the machine.

The special endless feed belt is made up of interconnected rods 40 thatare curved intermediate their lengths to provide a series of dwells 40a.At their ends the rods are each bent slightly with respect to theirelongate axes and with the bent en'ds then being formed into hooks 401)that link with the rod ahead to form an endless belt in which the dwellsof the rods are aligned so as to form continuous guide gutters inadvance of the stamping hub. The rods intermesh with the teeth onsprockets 32 and 36 as the belt is driven.

Potatoes are fed into each of the guide gutters formed by the aligneddwells 40a from a separator unit that is not shown, but that can be ofany conventional kind, and are then carried by the rods 40 to stampinghub 21. Because of the curved shape of the dwells the potatoes are heldin alignment with the stamping hub such that the potatoes in each gutterwill discharge onto a row of stamping heads 41 that extend around thehub. To further center each potato with respect to its proper row ofstamping heads, a pair of spring strips or fingers 42 and 43 arepositioned such that the potatoes in each gutter must pass between them.Each of the spring strips has one end fixed to a rod 44 extendingbetween opposite sides of the frame and positioned far enough above thefeed belt that the potatoes can easily pass therebeneath and the otherend of each strip extends downwardly beyond the discharge end of theendless belt 22 and toward the other of the spring strips making up thepair. With this arrangement any size potato will enter the openingbetween the pair of spring strips, even if the potato is not preciselycentered in the associated gutter. As the potato passes between theconverging strips it is forced to a center position and is aligned to beproperly discharged over a rotating rod 45 and onto a row of stampingheads 41 on the hub 21.

Hub 21 is made up of a hollow central shaft 47 having rings of radiatingspokes 48 spaced along its axis to 3 serve as supports for guides 49that provide outer rims for the hub.

The guides are hollow so that, as will be further explained, coolantwater can be circulated through them. They each have a flat base surface50, welded or otherwise fixed to their respective ring of spokes, and acurved outer surface 51 that extends from a central outer apexsymmetrically in a reversing curve such that any size potato will fitsnugly between adjacent guides.

A pair of generally ring-shaped heating elements 52 and 53 arepositioned between the base surfaces 50 of the guides and are held inposition by spaced retainers 54, extending between the guides inside ofthe circle formed by the heating elements. Retainers 54 are removablyconnected to the guides by nuts 55 that hold the retainers on threadedstub posts 56. Terminal posts 57 and 58 are formed at the ends of eachof the heating elements and a lead wire '59 interconnects each terminalpost 57 with a main line 60 extending axially along central shaft 47 anda similar lead wire 61 interconnects each terminal post 58 with theother main line 62 extending axially along central shaft 49.

The heating elements are thus each connected in parallel and are easilydisconnected from their heating circuit for replacement should theybecome defective.

Power is supplied main lines 60 and 62 through slip rings 63 and 64 thatare contacted by brushes 65 and 66 at the ends of lines 60 and 62,respectively. The slip rings are on the inside of sleeve 67 and terminalposts 68 and 69 extend through the sleeve from slip rings 63 and 64,respectively, to be connected to any conventional power source, notshown.

Stamping heads 41, FIG. 9, are each formed with an upstanding centralportion 70 which includes the raised lettering or design making up themark to be stamped, and an enlarged base 71. The stamping heads arespaced around each pair of ring-shaped heating element such that atleast one head will come in contact with each potato moved onto the hub,and with their bases each resting on the heating elements, making up apair. The stamping heads are made of a long wearing material having goodheat transfer characteristics, and a brass alloy has been foundsatisfactory for this purpose.

A band 72, preferably made of a good thermal conductor such as copper,has spaced holes therein through which the upstanding central portions70 of the stamping heads protrude and the band is affixed tightly to hub21 by means of screws 73 that extend through the band and into retainers54 between the stamping heads. Since the band 72 rests on each of thebases 71 the stamping heads are held in their set position. Should theheads need to be replaced they are easily accessible upon removal ofband 72.

As potatoes are moved onto the stamping head they are pressed againstone or more of the stamping heads by the pressure applicator chains 24and are carried with the hub until they pass beneath the pressureapplicator chains and are discharged to a chute 74. If desired aconventional belt conveyor (not shown) can be used instead of the chuteto transport branded potatoes from the stamping hub.

A pair of the endless pressure applicator chains 24 are arranged to passabove each row of stamping heads 21 and around sprockets 75 that arefixed to a shaft 76 and sprockets 77 fixed to a shaft 78. The chains arealigned such that they pass parallel to the center line of the rows ofstamping heads, with one chain at each side thereof.

Shaft 76 is journaled in blocks 79 carried by the upper side members 30and shaft 77 is similarly journaled in blocks 80 provided for thepurpose and carried by extensions 81 that are fixed to corner posts 26and 28 of the frame.

A flanged roller 82 is adapted to rest on each chain and to hold it inposition to contact a potato moved onto the associated row of stampingheads. The rollers are each carried by the free end of a pivot arm 83that is mounted for swinging through a vertical are on a shaft 84carried by brackets 85 that are fixed to upright posts 86 forming a partof the machine frame. The amount of pressure applied to the pressureapplicator chains, and therefore to the potatoes passing beneath can bevaried, as desired, merely by sliding a weight 87 along the arm 83 tochange the moment force at the point of contact between the roller andthe chain. Because of the offcentered positioning of the chains of eachpair, with respect to the stamping heads, they will contact each potatoat at least two points to press it firmly against the stamping head,and, since the rollers 82 are each yieldably mounted the chains canindividually conform to the size and shape of the potato passingtherebeneath.

A hollow rod 88 is journalled through plates 89 and 90 at opposite sidesof the frame to assist the potatoes in moving from the feed belt 22 ontothe stamping hub 21.

Stamping hub 21, feed belt 22, pressure applicator chains 24, and hollowrod 88 are all driven from the same motor 23. Thus, a drive belt 91,FIG. 3, passes around a pulley 92 driven by the motor and a large pulley93 connected to one end of stamping hub 21. Another drive belt 94 passesaround a pulley 95 fixed to the other end of hub 21, a pulley 96 on theend of shaft 33, hollow rod 88 and guide pulleys 97 and 98, on theframe. Clockwise rotation of pulley 92, as viewed in FIG. 3, results inrotation of the stamping hub in the direction of the arrows showntherein and a simultaneous rotation of pulley 96, shaft 33, thesprockets 32, the feed belt 22, and hollow rod 88 in the directionsindicated by the arrows adjacent thereto.

At the same time a pulley 99 on the end of shaft 76 is rotated to drivethe pressure applicator chains, as indicated by the adjacent arrows,through a belt 100 that is twisted and passes around another pulley 101on the end of shaft 33 and an adjustable tension pulley 102. The portionof the pressure applicator chains that com tact the potatoes thus movein the same direction of travel as the potatoes being marked.

To prevent the potatoes being damaged as a result of their being heatedby structure other than the stamping heads 21, the guides 49 and thehollow rod 88 have water, or other coolant, circulated through them. Thewater to the guides is supplied through a main supply hose 103 and abranch supply hose 104 supplies water to rod 88. The water runs throughthe rod and is discharged to waste through a discharge branch hose 105and a main discharge hose 106. Conventional slip couplings 107 and 108are provided as connectors between the hoses and rod 88 so that the rodcan freely rotate as it assists in moving potatoes from feed belt 22 tothe stamping hub 21.

The water circulated through the stamping hub 21 enters hollow centralshaft 47 from main supply hose 103 through a conventional slip coupling109 and is discharged from the central shaft through anotherconventional slip coupling 110 and main discharge hose 106.

As it enters central shaft 47 the Water is diverted by a plug 111 into abore 112 that extends from the interior of central shaft 47, through aspoke 48, to the interior of the guide 49 nearest the end of thestamping hub to which the water is supplied. The water passes around theinside of the hollow guide until it is diverted by a dam 113 into aconnector tube 114 that carries it to the next adjacent guide. Again thewater passes around the inside of the guide until it is diverted by adam 113 into another connector tube 114. This continues until the waterhas passed through each of the intermediate hollow guides and it hasbeen directed into the last guide at the side of the stamping hub fromwhich the water is discharged. After passing around the inside of thislast guide the water is diverted by a dam 115 into a tube 116 thatcarries it back to central shaft 47. A plug 118 therein then divert thewater to the discharge hose, in the manner previously described.

In operation potatoes are fed into the guide gutters formed on endlesfeed belt 22 that carries them to the stamping hub 21. The guide guttersroughly align the potatoes with the rows of stamping heads 41, and thespring strips 42 and 43 insure the alignment such that they are centeredbetween adjacent curved surfaces 51 of guides 49 as they move over rod88 and onto the rows of stamping heads 41. The rotating rod 88,positioned between the feed belt and the stamping hub keeps the potatoesmoving and keeps them from piling up at this point. The pressureapplicator chains hold the potatoes in contact with the stamping heads,even though they may have an irregular shape and the marked potatoes aredischarged onto a chute 120 and directed away from the potato stampingmachine.

Whereas there is here illustrated and specifically de scribed a certainpreferred construction of apparatus which is presently regarded as thebest mode of carrying out the invention, it should be understood thatvarious changes can be made and other constructions adopted Withoutdeparting from the inventive subject matter particularly pointed out andclaimed herebelow.

I claim:

1. A machine for stamping potatoes and the like, comprising a supportframe;

a circular hub carried by said frame;

at least one row of stamping heads extending around and carried by saidhub;

a row of hollow guides adjacent each side of each row of stamping heads;

conduits interconnecting said guides;

means for circulating water through said conduits and said guides;

mean for revolving said hub;

means for feeding potatoes onto said hub between adjacent ones of saidguides;

means for yieldably holding the potatoes against a row of stampingheads; and

means for heating said stamping heads.

2. A machine for stamping potatoes and the like, comprising a supportframe;

a circular hub carried by said frame;

at least one row of stamping heads extending around and carried by saidhub;

a row of guides adjacent each side of each row of stamping heads;

means for revolving said hub;

means for feeding potatoes onto said hub between adjacent ones of saidguides;

means for yieldably holding the potatoes against a row of stampingheads, said means including endless chain means comprising a pair ofspaced endless chains passing over each row of stamping heads and rollermeans for independently pressing each of said chains toward itsrespective row of stamping heads, said roller means including a rollerfor each chain and a cantilevered Weight biasing the roller intoengagement with the chain; and

means for heating said stamping heads.

3. A machine for stamping potatoes and the like, comprising a supportframe;

a circular hub carried by said frame;

at least one row of stamping heads extending around and carried by saidhub;

a row of guides adjacent each side of each row of stamping heads;

means for revolving said hub;

means for feeding potatoes onto said hub between adjacent ones of saidguides;

guide means for the potatoes comprising a pair of spring fingers fixedto the frame and extending above each row of stamping heads, saidfingers converging in the direction of travel of the potatoes and towardthe centerline of their respective rows of stamping heads.

4. A machine according to claim 3, wherein the means for feedingpotatoes onto the hub includes an endless feed belt made up of rodsinterlocked at their ends and each formed with a dwell for each row ofstamping heads, the corresponding dwells of the rods being aligned toprovide a continuous guide gutter for each of the stamping heads.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,283,579 11/1918 Smith 101 sx1,284,031 11/1918 Ahlburg 1o1 sx 1,331,791 2/1920 Venge 101-s ROBERT E.PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

W. MCCARTHY, H. P. EWELL, Assistant Examiners.

1. A MACHINE FOR STAMPING POTATOES AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A SUPPORTFRAME; A CIRCULAR HUB CARRIED BY SAID FRAME; AT LEAST ONE ROW OFSTAMPING HEADS EXTENDING AROUND AND CARRIED BY SAID HUB; A ROW OF HOLLOWGUIDES ADJACENT EACH SIDE OF EACH ROW OF STAMPING HEADS; CONDUITSINTERCONNECTING SAID GUIDES; MEANS FOR CIRCULATING WATER THROUGH SAIDCONDUITS AND SAID GUIDES; MEANS FOR REVOLVING SAID HUB; MEANS FORFEEDING POTATOES ONTO SAID HUB BETWEEN ADJACENT ONES OF SAID GUIDES;MEANS FOR YIELDABLY HOLDING THE POTATOES AGAINST A ROW OF STAMPINGHEADS; AND MEANS FOR HEATING SAID STAMPING HEADS.